Warts that often appear on the heels or balls of the feet and are caused by the human papillomavirus. Since plantar warts grow in areas that are under the most pressure, the wart will often tend to grow inward, with a hard layer of callused skin obscuring it from view.
Plantar warts can cause considerable pain and discomfort but are not a serious health risk. Often conservative methods of treatment are enough to alleviate the problem, but for severe cases, you will need to consult with your podiatrist to have the wart removed.
Signs and symptoms of plantar warts:
A tiny growth with a rough surface on the bottom of your foot.
Callused skin appearing over a small bump indicating that a wart has grown inward.
Wart seeds are the little black points that appear in the center of a wart and are created by clotted blood vessels.
Severe discomfort and tenderness when putting weight on your foot in the area of the wart.
Treatment options:
While plantar warts will oftentimes subside and disappear by themselves, it can take a long time. Faster treatment methods include:
Freezing with liquid nitrogen—Called cryotherapy, this method of freezing the wart can be combined with peeling therapy for a better result. There is also some evidence that these methods stimulate your immune system to fight the virus that causes plantar warts in the first place.
Peeling solutions—These acid peels can be used at home to gradually remove layers of the wart. Your doctor can apply a stronger solution in the office if the at home treatment fails to work.
Vaccines—HPV vaccine can be used to kill off the virus systemically.
If you are experiencing the pain of a plantar wart, consult with our board-certified podiatrists at Foot and Ankle Center of Fort Lee, LLC. The center offers convenient locations in Fort Lee NJ, Ringwood NJ, Flushing Queens NY, Woodhaven NY, Brooklyn NY, and Forest Hills NY. Contact us at (201) 363-9844and schedule an appointment today!
